Botany and Ormiston Times : Botany and Ormiston Times Thursday November 26

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40 — Botany and Ormiston Times, Thursday, November 26, 2015
www.times.co.nz
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Amighty kauri has died,
but the legendary feats
of the humble Jonah
Lomu will live on in a rugby
world in which he became a
universally popular character.
That he should die at age
40, as the father of two young
sons, was tragic for a man who
suffered serious kidney problems
for much of his adult life.
After making a modest
debut against France in 2004
as New Zealand’s youngest All
Black, Lomu exploded into
international consciousness
with his mighty feats at the 2005
World Cup in South Africa.
His four tries against England
following his three against
Ireland will never be forgotten,
especially the one in which he
stumbled, but still ran over, a
flattened Mike Catt.
That he refused big money to
allow a sponsor to televise that
feat in an advertisement because
it could have embarrassed the
South African-born English
player, illustrated a humble
humanity that endeared him to
all. Other All Blacks like Doug
Howlett, Christian Cullen and
Julian Savea have a higher
scoring international scoring
ratio but none made the global
impact of the Tongan kid from
Mangere, who became a 120kg
rugby giant in more ways than
one.
I first met Jonah at the
Pakuranga Rugby Club for an
exclusive interview organised by
his then-manager, comedian Phil
Kingsley-Jones, when he joked
he was paying him too much.
That childlike humour
stayed with him throughout
his extraordinary life, as did
his rapport with the many
thousands of kids who adored
him.
Somehow it seemed fitting
that Richie McCaw should finally
announce his retirement within a
few days of Jonah’s death.
Until McCaw established his
remarkable record, Sir Colin
Meads was my all time All Black
great, and Michael Jones my
favourite No 7, as it was for so
many New Zealanders.
Meads was a mighty lock
with a loose forward’s mobility
and skill that installed awe in
opponents who had cause
to fear him, and Jones was a
faster, more athletic flanker
than McCaw until he suffered a
horrendous Achilles injury which
saw him trade his No 7 jersey for
the No 6.
However, in a 15-year
international career that spanned
148 tests, the remarkably durable
McCaw set a new benchmark
that may never be equalled.
Blessed with remarkable
courage and stamina, he was a
supreme tackler and poacher
who developed into a champion
captain after being severely
criticised for his leadership
following that controversial
20-18 2007 World Cup semi-final
loss to France at Cardiff.
Whereas Meads played
on with a broken
arm in South Africa
in 1970, McCaw led
New Zealand to 2011
World Cup success in
Auckland on a broken foot. That
he, Daniel Carter, Ma’a Nonu,
Conrad Smith, Keven Mealamu
and Tony Woodcock should
write off their final chapter
by defending their crown at
Twickenham was fitting.
All six veterans have made
outstanding contributions
to the peerless All Blacks
tradition which has given their
countrymen so much pride for
so long.
Sad as it is to see McCaw
go, it is the right time to do
so for a man approaching his
35th birthday. Particularly
appreciative will be the
admirable Sam Cane who has
served a long apprenticeship
under the master and is ready
to prove himself a worthy
successor.
Gone but not forgotten, the
feats of two modest men, Lomu
and McCaw, live on.
Ivan Agnew is an award-
winning sports writer and author
Mighty Lomu memories
will never fade away
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